My Daughter
by Ryn Turner
Summary: When Trip has a dream about his daughter, will he do all he can to find her? *****Epilogue added*****
1. Default Chapter

I had always wondered about my father. I had never met him. He had never met me. Sure, he wasn't the one who gave birth to me, but it was obvious I was different. Usually, my species reproduce by only taking genetic materiel from the mother. That was, in the beginning, in my case as well. But it changed. Right from the moment I was born, I was different. For one thing, I had blue eyes. Xryllians never had blue eyes. From then on I was labeled as a freak. Sure, no one ever called me that to my face, but I could see it in their eyes. "There goes the freak." was what they said behind my back. My mother always said I was beautiful, but that isn't always enough. I personally think it's an unwritten rule for a mother to love her child. I continued to grow. I developed slower than my age-mates. My mother said that Xryllians aged faster than Humans, one of their months to a year of ours. I am also very tall. I tower above everyone else, giving me a demeaning nature. I am only 16 Xryllian years old, but even the Captain is only up to my chest. 

Oh, how I wish I knew my father. Then maybe I would be accepted. Among people with blue eyes and of a taller height. Then maybe I would finally to looking *up* into someone's eyes. I doubt I'll ever meet him. I wonder what he would be like. My mother said he was very handsome. She says my eyes are almost identical to his. I can only imagine him in my thoughts and dreams. Maybe those are the only places where we are meant to be, as father and daughter.

~*~

Jon was settling into bed with a good book with Porthos beside him, when the door chime ran. 

"Come in!" he called out.

A moment later, his best friend walked in. "What can I do for you Trip?" asked Jon, noticing the uncomfortable look on his friend's face.

Trip shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Well...I need to talk to you about something."

Jon shot a concerned look at his friend. "What is it Trip? You can talk to me about anything."

"I... well I had a dream. It was about my daughter."

Jon looked puzzled. "Your daughter? You don't have a daughter." Realization dawned on his face. "You mean the Xryllians. But it wasn't your daughter, it was Ah'Len's."

"I know. But this dream, it seemed so real. She was looking at me, with these bright blue eyes and the saddest look on her face. Then she turned away and it ended. I just felt like it was so real. Like maybe she really was my daughter."

"You know that's not possible. Dr. Phlox said that the baby only took genetic materiel from the mother. She isn't really your daughter."

Trip sighed. "I know. It's just that a part of me really believed she was my daughter."

Jon noticed how down his friend was, so he decided to add a bit of hope to his friend's mood. "Tell you what. How 'bout I ask T'Pol to scan for any Xryllian ships nearby. We have the ship's signature on file, so if their near us, we'll know."

Trip offered a small smile. "Thanks Captain. Good night." He turned around and headed for the door.

"Good night Trip." Jon called after his friend, then returned to his book.

*Should I continue? Or should I leave it standing by itself? Please let me know if you like it!*


	2. Kah'Li

It was so quiet. The only sound on the bridge was the tapping of her fingers. It was her turn to man the engineering console on her ship. Her mother had long since given up trying to get her daughter to be assigned to another duty.

//I sure am stubborn .// she thought to herself. She could be on the day shift in engineering, or cooking duty, or even learning how to pilot the ship. But noooo. She had opted for the quiet, dull night shift. She had her reasons. One, she had time to think. Two, no one was here to poke fun at her. Sure, it was true, the way she obsessed about being the outcast seemed almost paranoid, at least that's what her mother said. So did Pa'El, her half-sister. She sighed aloud at the mention of Pa'El. Pa'El must be the *most* annoying Xryllian on the ship. A classic sister, well, half-sister. 

Just then, a beep emanated from her console. //Great. Just what has to go wrong on the night shift!// She quickly isolated the problem. //Ohh Aisha (A/N: Crap in Xryllian).// she thought. //This is *way* more than a simple conduit malfunction.// she groaned.

~*~

"Any luck?" asked Trip as he joined Jon for dinner.

"None so far. How are you holdin' up?"

Trip sighed. He had really been hoping they would have found Ah'Len's ship by now. "Fine, I guess. I don't sleep very well, and it's hard to stay concentrated."

"Are you still dreaming about her?" Jon asked between mouthfuls of food.

"Yeah. Oh, I learned her name! I could hear someone calling her in the background ."

Jon waited a moment, then spoke again. "Am I going to have to guess it?"

"Oh no, sorry! I guess my mind wandered off."

Jon chuckled slightly. "Tell me when it comes back."

Trip smiled. "Gee, thanks! Maybe your Chief Engineer *won't* be able to repair the video system." He gave Jon a sly grin.

Jon held up a hand. "Hey, that's serious. You don't want to get between me and my water polo!"

The two men laughed together, then went back to their dinner. Trip toke a bit of his chicken, then spoke. 

"It's Kah'Li. Her name, I mean."

"Kah'Li." Jon said, repeating it. "It's a pretty name."

"Yeah. I thought that myself." replied Trip.

They continued their dinner, making small talk untill Trip excused himself. "It was a great dinner Cap'n. 

I've got to go get me some sleep or I'll never get up in the morning!"

Jon laughed then replied, "Goodnight Trip"

Trip responded over his shoulder as he left the room. "'Night Jon."

*R&R plz. I would really like 5 reviews before I continue!*


	3. Of Helmets and Clues

Kah'Li rubbed at her eyes. She had worked through the night and early morning helping to repair the impulse engines. It was a problem with a auxiliary power converter that had led to a backup of problems. Unfortunately, no one on board knew how to repair it. So her and her mother had worked to try and patch it up as much as they could. They would have to find ship that they could ride with for a while, to try and get them to a closer spaceport. Personally, Kah'Li hated it when they rode piggyback on someone else's warp field. It seemed as if they couldn't take of of themselves, like a young child asking a parent to carry them. She didn't understand why they just couldn't *ask* someone for help. She sighed. Who knows what adults think. 

She yawned loudly. //I need some sleep.// she thought to herself. She retreated to her room and collapsed on the bed. 

~*~ 

Unfortunately, she didn't sleep long. She was awakened by the sound of weapons fire and of the ship dropping out of warp. She ran out of her room to see what was happening. 

"What's going on?" she asked Officer Je'Tal. 

"We picked the wrong ship to piggyback on, that's what." he said, furiously poking at his console. "Aisha! Why won't this stupid thing work!" 

Kah'Li was watching the entire crew run back and forth, trying to repair some of the damage caused to their ship. Then Kah'Li heard it. 

"The airlock!" she cried out, "Someone's trying to get in!" 

She had no longer screamed out her warning when the hatch opened and everything went black. 

~*~ 

"Good mornin' T'Pol." said Trip as he exited the turbo lift. "How are you?" 

"I am well." she answered in her clipped, unemotional tone. 

"Have you found anything yet?" he asked, resting his elbows on her console. 

"No, I have not. I will tell you as soon as I do." she replied, then looked down at his elbows. 

"Could you please remove your arms from my console?" 

Trip hastily moved his elbows off. "Sorry." He left T'Pol and headed over to Communications. He was repairing a minor problem inside one of the bulkheads when he heard T'Pol's muffled voice. 

"What? Speak up please, I can't hear ya from under here." 

This time her voice was much closer and louder. "I said, I have found something that might be of interest for you." 

Trip tried to get out so fast that he whacked his head against the inside of the bulkhead. 

"Ow!" he cried out, rubbing his head. 

T'Pol looked quietly at him, raising one eyebrow. "Perhaps when you are done injuring yourself you could come look at what I have found." She turned on one heel and returned to her station. 

Trip watched her go, then got up and followed her, mumbling something under his breath about a helmet.

~*~ 

Kah'Li woke up slowly, as a feeling of nausea exploded in her stomach. //Where am I?// she thought groggily to herself. She was lying down on a bed of sorts, in a white, well lit room. 

When her eyes adjusted to the light, she noticed a person standing near the door. He/She was tall, had light blue fur covering it's body and dark blue hair growing out of it's scalp. 

//Wow,// she thought, //Aren't we complete opposites!// 

"Excuse me?" she called out. 

The alien turned to face her. "Jenath ikil rytiz vorite?" it asked. 

"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand you." she said. 

It pulled out a round device, and made an adjustment to it. "Jenath ikil rytiz vorite? Jenath rytiz understand me?" 

Kah'Li was surprised. She had understood the last two words it had spoken. "Yes, I understand you!" 

The alien grinned. At least, Kah'Li thought it was a grin. Who knows with other species. 

He/she could be planning to kill her. 

"You understand me?" 

Kah'Li nodded. 

"Excellent." the alien said, mostly to itself. "I wasn't certain that my translator would work with your language. My name is Hael, and I am a Cerassian. You are aboard the ship Zariel." 

Kah'Li looked at Hael curiously. "Am I a prisoner here?" she asked. 

Hael looked taken aback. "No, no! You are our guest here, until we can find one of your ships. You see, your ship got caught in the middle of a battle between us and a Vorilian ship; you were hit by a few stray shots. We boarded your ship to check for damage, unfortunately most of your crew was.. well, they were dead." 

"Dead?!" Kah'Li said, clearly mortified. "Oh no!" She slid down onto her bed, thinking sadly to herself. Everyone was gone... Mother, the Captain, Je'Tal, even Pa'El. 

Hael shifted nervously from foot to foot. Kah'Li lifted her head up and cleared her throat. 

"What...what happened?" she asked. 

Hael clucked it's tongue a few times, but Kah'Li didn't know what that meant in Cerassian culture. "When our boarding party entered your ship, we didn't know that our atmosphere was different than yours. Oxygen from our craft entered your ship, and we were powerless to do anything while everyone suffocated. Except you. You just collapsed, like the others, but gradually your laboured breathing turned normal. I think your body adjusted to the oxygen, although I don't know why." 

Kah'Li was quiet for a moment, then replied. "It's because I'm half Human. I'm half Human and half Xryllian." 

Hael stopped it's shifting. "This enables you to switch between environments?" 

"I suppose so." she said. 

Hael was silent a moment, then exclaimed, "Hey! You said you are half Human?" 

She looked it. "Yes, I did. What does it have to do with anything?" 

Hael looked very excited. "Our ship encountered some Humans only a few days ago. We can take you to them, if you like!" 

Kah'Li's bright blue eyes widened until they seemed like they were going to pop out. "Yes please. Take me to them." 

*How is it? Is it worth continuing? Hopefully I'll have 10 reviews by the next chapter!*


	4. She's dead, or is she?

*A/N: I dont really know that much trek lingo, even though I've been watching Trek since I was eight. I'm sorry if I got the coordinates wrong, someone please tell me how to correct it!!! :S* 

"So, what's the news that I gave myself a concussion for?" asked Trip, still rubbing his head. 

"I have detected a Xryllian ship, two parsecs from here, bearing 03015 mark 6. There is a problem, though." 

Trip couldn't believe his ears. They had found Ah'Len's ship! "Well, what is it?" he asked, impatient. 

"There are no lifesigns aboard." 

Trip slumped down, using the console as a support. "None at all?" 

"No. It seems that they were attacked. The residual trace from the weapons show as Vorilian. I am sorry, Commander." 

Trip stood there, stunned. //Dead?!// he thought to himself. It was too much to handle. 

"Uh.... Thanks T'Pol. I'll...I'll be in my quarters if anyone needs me." He walked dazedly to the turbo lift, and headed for his quarters. 

~*~ 

"Thanks T'Pol. I'll talk to him. Archer out." 

Jon turned off the comlink. This was bad news. The Xryllians were dead, and so was the possibility of ever finding Kah'Li. No wonder Trip took it bad. 

Jon headed out the door, throwing Porthos a piece of cheese as he walked out the door. The dog caught it in midair and whimpered for more. 

"Sorry Porthos. You know that cheese isn't good for you." 

Jon walked down the hallway, heading for Trip's quarters. He had always suspected that someday, their buisness with the Xryllians would come back and hit them in the face. He just didn't expect anything like this to happen. 

He reached Trip's quarters. He hit the chime, and he could hear the bong of it echo in Trip's quarters. 

"Come in." a muffled voice called out. 

Jon walked in and was hit by darkness. All the lights were turned off in Trip's room. It was a brutal assualt on his eyes. He was blinded as his eyes slowly grew used to the dark. 

"Trip?" 

"Over here." called a voice. Jon could see the slumped form of his best friend on the nearby bed. 

"Is it alright if I turn some lights on?" asked Jon quietly. 

"Yeah, I guess." 

Jon turned on the lights and looked at his friend. Trip's red-rimmed eyes betrayed everything. 

"Oh Trip. Are you ok?" 

"Yeah, best as can be, I guess. My daughter just died. It's funny though, I feel sad and all, but I never knew her. Damn, I feel so guilty!" 

"Guilty for what Trip?" 

"That I left her. That I never met her. Take your pick." 

Jon sighed. Trip was always like this when we was down. "Trip, it's not your fault." 

Trip lay silent on the bed. Jon respected it, and just looked out the window, watching the stars pass by. 

"Can I go see her?" 

Jon could barely hear Trip, he was whispering so softly. "What did you say?" 

"Can I go see her? If she's dead, can I at least see her in person once?" 

"Come on Trip. You know that I can't do that. It would be like disturbing someone's grave." 

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sorry that I asked." 

Jon smiled at his friend. "It's alright. I've got to go back to the bridge, we'll be leaving 

soon. Try to get some sleep, alright?" 

Trip only nodded. He watched as his friend exited his room. Then he plopped his head down onto the pillow and slept. And with sleep, came dreams....


	5. Alone

Kah'Li awoke from an uneasy sleep. She kept thinking of her mother and Pa'El. //Why me?// she though to herself. //Is fate taunting me one more time? Oh look, only the freak survived! Wow, she sure is lucky!// She sighed. If her mother was here, she'd be scolding Kah'Li for thinking like that. //Well, she isn't here is she?// Kah'Li thought to herself. //Maybe that's the way I'm always supposed to be. Alone.// 

She sighed and turned back over. //At least Hael and his people are kind. I wonder what would have happened if I had been captured by the Vorilians...// She shook her head. If she kept thinking like this, she'd be paranoid and delusional in no time. She didn't need 

that added to her growing pile of problems. 

~*~ 

Jon was getting ready for his shift when his door chime went. "Come in." he called out. 

An exhausted Trip walked in. "Cap'n, she's not dead!" 

"Who's not dead?" asked Jon carefully. 

"Kah'Li! I dreamt about her! She's safe and sound, but she's on another alien ship!" 

Jon sighed. He had been afraid of this. "Trip," he started gently, "Kah'Li is dead. You saw the Xyrillian ship, the readings. There were no survivors." 

"But Cap'n! You have to believe me! She's not dead! She's still alive, we have to save her!" Trip said, a note of panic in his voice. 

"Trip. Kah'Li is dead." Jon said quietly. "I know that it's hard to accept, but it's the truth. Now, why don't you go back to your quarters and get some rest." Jon offered a warm smile to his friend. "We'll talk later, ok?" 

Trip looked down at his feet. "Alright. I'll see you later, I guess." 

Jon kept the smile on his face. "Good. Now get some rest." 

Trip smiled, then headed down the corridor. //Like hell I will.// he thought to himself. He already had a plan forming in his head. He knew where she was, but no one would listen to him. //I'll just have to do it myself.// 

~*~ 

Jon Archer was sitting in his command chair, waiting for the go ahead for warp speed, when T'Pol called out. 

"Captain, there seems to be a shuttlepod launching from the ship." 

"What?! Can you tell who's on board?" 

T'Pol paused a moment, looking at her console. "It appears to be Commander Tucker, sir." 

"Captain?" called out Travis. 

"Yeah Travis?" 

"The pod just went to warp." 

"What?! Those pods don't have warp capabilities!" 

"Apparently Mr. Tucker changed that, sir." responded Travis. 

Jon put his face in his hands. //What else could go wrong today?// 

Hoshi coughed nervously. "Captain?" she asked. 

"What is it now?" he replied, his voice muffled by his hands. 

"We're being contacted by the Vorilians." 

*I'll write more as soon as I have 15 reviews!*


	6. Something Deeper...

"Put them on." said Jon. //I just *had* to go and think that!// 

"Yes sir." answered Hoshi. 

The screen came to life, depicting two creatures know as Vorilians. They had green, scaly skin and yellow eyes. They were tall and imposing, especially the females. Enterprise had just encountered them a week ago, and the meeting had not gone well. Jon didn't expect this time to be any better. 

"What can I do for you, Captain Wasilix?" asked Jon, trying to mask the frustration in his voice. 

The reptilian captain spoke up in a deep, gruff voice. "We have detected someone of your species aboard a Cerassian ship! Have you made a deal with our arch-enemy?!" 

Jon was geuninely confused. A human aboard a Cerassian ship? Who the hell were the Cerassians? 

Then he remembered Trip's words: " 'She's still alive Cap'n! I dreamt about her! She's safe and sound, but she's on another alien ship!' " 

Trip had been right. His daughter was still alive. The question was, who were the Cerassians and why had the Vorilians come to them? 

"I'm sorry Captain, but the human you talk of is not a part of our. She is, however, related to one of our people. We will take her back from the Cerassians, if you would only point us in the right direction." 

Captain Wasilix snorted. "What, and lead you into the hands of our enemy, so that you would supply them with weapons? Do not take me for a fool, Captain Archer. Those who have are not alive to tell the tale. No, I will not let you bring these weapons to the scum. It is our war, do not involve yourselves in it, or you will regret it.Leave now, and never return! This is my first and final warning. Goodbye, Captain." She growled, then turned off the connection. 

Jon watched as the other ship turned and went into warp. "Well, that could have gone better." he muttered to himself. 

"Uh, Captain?" called out Malcolm. 

"Yes?" answered Jon. 

"Who is this human that Captain spoke of?" 

~*~ 

Trip made some modifications to his rigged warp engine. //Hold steady darlin'. My daughter's life is depending on ya.// He regretted leaving the Captain and the ship like that, but he knew that Kah'Li needed help. He sensed it in his dream. She was in pain, physical and emotional. The emotional could be dealt with by herself, but she had been injured when her ship had been shot on. He had medical training; he had started out in the medical program at the Academy, but had switched to Engineering after a year because he just didn't like medical work. 

Trip nervously sat at the helm. His plan had been a spur of the moment thing, he hadn't even thought of how Kah'Li would react to him. It didn't really matter, he just wanted to help her. She just had to hold on until he got there. 

~*~ 

The pain in her stomach had grown, along with her nausea. //What's wrong with me?// she thought to herself. Hael and Ata, the ship's healer, had tried to help her. Unfortunately, they didn't know the first thing about Xryllian phisiology, let alone a hybrid. 

Also, the Cerassian ship had been more damaged by the Vorilians then Hael had thought. The Zariel's warp engines had been badly damaged, and so had the impulse ones. Hael had told her to stay in her room while the repairs were under way. She had complied, but wondered why she had to stay in the room. Hael had said it was for safety, but she suspected more. 

She'd just have to wait and see. If the wait didn't kill her first.


	7. Trip and the Cerassians

Jon sighed. He had wished that Trip could have told them himself, or maybe Kah'Li would have been here herself. He supposed that nothing ever went as planned on Enterprise.  
  
"You remember the Zryllians?" he asked, his question directed at the entire bridge crew.  
  
Malcolm snorted. "How could we forget?"  
  
"Well, Trip was having dreams about his daughter, Kah'Li. He said that she was alive, and that he needed to see her. Unfortunatly, when we found the Xryllians, their ship was adrift and their crew was dead. I thought that was the end, but Trip had another dream about her. That's why he rigged up the 'pod and left. Kah'Li is the human the Vorilians are talking about."  
  
"Poor Trip. No wonder he left. But, is Kah'Li a guest of the Cerassians, or is she a prisoner?" asked Hoshi.  
  
"I don't know." said Jon. "But I hope that Trip can find her before we find out."  
  
~*~  
  
Kah'Li slept fitfully. Her stomach hurt even more now, and she had thrown up several times. Hael hadn't returned in the longest time. She was beginning to think that she was a prisoner.  
  
She rolled over onto her side, her back to the door. She wondered if she would have been better off dead than this. //No, don't think like that.// she thought to herself. //Someone will save me. But who?// She didn't know anyone else, let alone that they would save her. Maybe her father would come and... No. //He doesn't even know me. What do I think I am? Telpathic?// She snorted, then started to cough fitfully.  
  
Unfortunately, she didn't know how right she was.  
  
*~*  
  
Trip awoke. //Oww...// he thought, rubbing his head gingerly. //Where am I? The last thing I remember is... oh no.// Trip grimaced at his memory. He had been attacked by a group of aliens called Cerassians. He put his face in his hands. There was no way that he would find his daughter now.  
  
He heard the door open to what he assumed was a cell. A humanoid with light blue fur covering it's body strolled in.  
  
"Hello." said the alien in English.  
  
Trip sat up. //They know English?// he thought to himself. //Maybe they aren't hostile.// Trip snorted at his own thought. //That's right Charles, it's exactly why they shot at you, and captured you.//  
  
He nervously answered the alien. "Hello... My name is Charles Tucker. And you are..?"  
  
The alien grinned, but Trip took it to be a grin of malice. "My name is Hael. I will be your torturer for your stay here. Do not make yourself comfortable. I will return for you shortly, and we shall start your, discussion." Hael turned on one foot and exited the room.  
  
//Great.// thought Trip. //I get captured by an evil Cookie Monster look alike.// 


	8. Father and Daughter

Kah'Li sat nervously on her bed. Hael was due to arrive any minute, with another round of 'questioning'. He always came in around this time, whatever time it was, and politely and cheerfully asked her questions. She knew it was all an act, and when the time came that she didn't freely give him the answers he wanted, she would be tortured.  
  
Her stomach pained her continuously, even when she was in what she called sleep. Her energy was depleted and her head pounded with the sound of a thousand drums. She heard the door swish open, bringing Hael and his relentless questions.  
  
He walked in, his face always lit with a superficial smile. "I've brought you a new friend." he said, the smile always on his face.  
  
He turned behind me and motioned to a guard behind the door. The tall alien guard pulled someone along, a creature without any fur.  
  
Kah'Li gasped. //A human!// she exclaimed to herself. She watched as they dragged the man inside, his head down. He had bruises all over him, one of his wrists hung uselessly as if broken. Her heart pounded, wondering if he knew her father. Then he lifted his head, slowly, tiredly, and she knew it was her father.  
  
~*~  
  
Trip felt himself being dragged along. His right wrist hung limply, as he tried to lift his head. He was vaguely aware of someone else in the room, aside from the guard and Hael. He felt as if he recognized them.  
  
He could hear Hael speak in his annoying voice, his pretend kindness. The other person sat in a corner of the room, trying to hide from Hael's wrath. Trip lifted his head painfully, and almost fainted from what he saw.  
  
//Kah'Li!// he exclaimed to himself. He had found him. Abruptly, the guard dropped him and Trip crumpled to the floor. Hael laughed and exited the room.  
  
Trip tried to get up, but his legs wouldn't cooperate. His head was swimming and he could feel himself falling into unconscious. He was aware of Kah'Li running over and kneeling beside him.  
  
"Kah'Li?" he whispered before collapsing. 


	9. Flashback

*A/N: Italics indicate flashbacks.*  
  
Kah'Li kneeled by her father's side. She lifted his head from the cold, metal floor and placed it into her lap. Tears of joy fell from her face onto his. //He's here.// she thought joyfully to herself. //He came to rescue me.//  
  
She gently dragged him over to the bed, and tried to pull him up. He was bigger than her, and her energy was depleted, but somehow she managed it. His face was covered in lacerations and bruises, and one of his wrists hang limply at his side. //What have they done to him?// she thought, her joy at finding her father turning into anger towards Hael.  
  
A pain erupted in her side. She grabbed the side of the bed for support, but it was in vain. She tumbled to the floor, hiting her head on the ground. She had one final thought before she joined her father in the realm of unconsciousness.  
  
//It'll be a wonder if either of us survive this rescue...//  
  
~*~  
  
Jon sat nervously in his command chair. He had given the order to find the 'Cerassians' an hour ago. No luck so far. He was gravely worried for his best friend. There was no telling what his best friend might do. There had been a few times where Trip had gotten himself into more than he could handle...  
  
6 years ago, Utopia Planitia...  
  
Jon sat at the bar, quietly sipping his drink. Trip had been supposed to meet him here half an hour ago. Knowing Trip, he had probably gotten himself into some kinda trouble, or he had forgotten completely about the meeting.  
  
Jon was just about to give up on Trip when he saw his best friend plop down beside him. It was normal Trip, except that he kept looking behind him and looked very nervous.  
  
"Hey, Trip, what's wrong?" he asked his friend.  
  
Trip looked at Jon nervously. "What do you mean?"  
  
Jon sighed. Now he knew that Trip had gotten himself into trouble. "What have you done now?"  
  
Trip slouched down in his chair. "Uh, well, nothing big. Just well, I......." Trip mumbled the last few words of his sentence.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Trip frowned. "I kinda lit the Admiral's hair on fire."  
  
Jon suppressed a laugh. "And," he paused and tired to keep his face straight,"How did you manage that?" His efforts at keeping quiet failed just then, and he exploded in laughter.  
  
Trip sighed. "I knew I never should have told you. It's not funny!"  
  
"Oh, I know." Jon tried to say seriously. "It's just that, well, the Admiral doesn't really have any hair to burn!" Once again, Jon started to laugh.  
  
Slowly, a smile came to Trip's face. "Yeah, I guess. It was kinda funny." Trip started to laugh as well.  
  
Once both men had calmed down, Jon asked Trip another question. "Why do you keep looking over your shoulder?" Trip smiled sheepishly. "I dunno, I guess I just expect the Admiral to come after me or something."  
  
Jon smiled and put an arm around his best friend. "Trip, you really are a laugh and a half."  
  
Present Day...  
  
Jon smiled sadly to himself. He would give anything to have his friend here with him again. 


	10. Pain

Trip woke up to find his daughter collapsed on the floor. //Shit.// he thought to himself. He got down slowly onto the floor, for his head was pounding. Hael hadn't taken his medic kit away, so Trip was suspicious. But he needed to kit to save Kah'Li, so he used it anyway.  
  
He knelt by her side, running his scanner over her. //Damn. It's worse than I thought.// Her left ribs were badly bruised, while some of the right ones were actually broken. Her injuries had caused massive internal bleeding, while barely missing her right lung. //Thank God for small miracles.// he said to himself.  
  
He patched up as much as his skills would permit, slowing down the internal bleeding and bracing her ribs against even more injury. She also had long abrasions and discoloring along her sides, presumably the remains from what caused her internal injuries.  
  
Trip felt extremely guilty. //This probably could have all been prevented if I had just found her earlier...// He put his face in his hands. //What if she never wakes up again?//  
  
He shook his head, as if that would help clear those thoughts from his head. //I can't think like that. I can't. I've got to be positive, for... for the sake of my daughter.//  
  
Those words still felt foreign in his head and on his tongue. His daughter. The concept almost seemed surreal. Like it was just a dream and he would wake up the next morning and it would all be over.  
  
But then again, this entire thing had started with his dreams of Kah'Li. He still didn't understand how he had dreamed of her. Maybe she was telepathic. Or maybe the connection between father and daughter ran deeper than anyone had ever thought. It didn't really matter. All that mattered was that he was here with his daughter.  
  
He didn't feel complete, though. Jon wasn't here, offering his advice. Nor was Malcolm, to poke some fun at the 'Yank', as Malcolm jokingly called him. Just thinking of his friends cheered him up.  
  
There was also someone else missing: Ah'Len. He may not have known Ah'Len very long, but she had played a major part in his life. Without her, he wouldn't be where he was right now. Neither would Kah'Li.  
  
Trip sighed. He felt very alone, and very sad. He pulled the blanket off the bed, wrapped it around Kah'Li, and lay down to sleep on the cold, barren floor of his prison... 


	11. A new threat

"What do you mean he's not there?" 

"I'm telling you, Captain, that Trip is not aboard that shuttlepod." repeated Malcolm. 

"Well then, where did he go?" asked Jon 

"There are no warp trails leading from the shuttlepod, but I am detecting an unidentified ship 5 light-years from here." interrupted T'Pol. 

"Malcolm?" said Jon 

"Yes Captain?" 

"Can we scan that ship from here?" 

"No. Our long range sensors are down, and our short range ones can't reach that far." 

//Damn.// thought Jon. //I guess we'll just have to find Trip the old fashioned way.// 

"Mr. Mayweather?" 

"Yes sir?" 

"Set a course for the alien ship. Warp 4.5." 

Travis smiled. "Yes sir!" 

~*~ 

Hael nervously sat waiting on the bridge. Sarquel had said that he would contact him within the hour. Unfortunately, Hael had no good news to report. Sarquel wasn't going to like this. 

"Colonel Hael?" 

Hael turned to see who had called him. It was Officer Pachek, the communications operator. 

//This is it.// Hael thought to himself. Aloud, he replied, "What is it, Pachek?" 

"There is an incoming transmission. Source unknown." 

"Put it on the viewer." responded Hael as he turned to face the viewscreen. 

A cloaked figure appeared on the screen. Sarquel had never revealed his face or species to Hael. 

"Colonel Hael. I trust you are well?" said Sarquel, his deep voice resonating inside the small bridge. 

"Yes, yes I am." replied Hael nervously. "And you, Sarquel?" 

"It depends on what you have to tell me, Hael." 

Hael smiled nervously. "Uh, well, the first prisoner hasn't told us anything yet, but we're working on it. The second prisoner has been tortured, but he still hasn't told us anything. I am confident, though, that we will break them both." 

"You are confident?" 

"Uh, yes, yes I am." 

"Hael, I am thinking that maybe I should have trusted this vital task to someone more capable. You are replaceable, you know." 

"I know, I know. But we will get you the information, I promise you!" 

Sarquel was quiet a moment, as is contemplating what to do next. 

"Very well. I will let you continue, for now." Sarquel leaned forward, showing two bright eyes, glowing yellow, from the midst of his hood. "Do not be mistaken, Colonel, that I will not hesitate to kill you if you fail." 

"I...I understand. I will not fail you." said Hael nervously. 

"Good. Then we have nothing to worry about, do we Hael?" 

Hael shook his head, for he was too afraid to speak. 

"I will contact you in three standard days. Goodbye, Colonel." 

The viewscreen went dark, leaving only Hael and his thoughts. 

*Next chapter will be soon, I promise.*


	12. Awakening

A loud sound awoke Trip from his deep, cold sleep. He looked up to the bed for Kah'Li but she wasn't there.

He pushed himself off the floor with alot of effort, his wounds still causing him alot of pain. He cradled his broken wrist with his good arm, as he leaned against the bedframe.

He could see Kah'Li in the far corner of the room, fast asleep.

"Hey." he said gently.

She moaned and lifted her head up. "You're awake!" she exclaimed, instantly alert.

Trip gave her a small smile. "Yeah. But I'm starting to think I was better off unconscious..." he said, gesturing to his injuries.

Kah'Li scooted over, settling in closer to him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know how to help you! I've never met a real human before." she said, smiling sheepishly.

"Have you met only fake ones?" he joked.

"Any kind of human would have been okay." she said, looking down at the ground.

Trip felt bad for making the joke. It must have been so hard for her, being half-human.

"Hey." he said, drawing her attention to him. "I'm here now, aren't I?"

She grinned at him. "Yeah. I'm guessing this was a very carefully and cleverly planned rescue attempt?"

Trip smiled right back. "Oh yeah. This is part of my plan. A) Get captured by hostile aliens B) Make sure to get beat up real bad C)..."

Kah'Li laughed softly at his antics. It was a beautiful sound to Trip. Her entire body seemed to laugh, and her bright blue eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Well, if we're gonna escape from here, I'm gonna have to get up!" Trip reached behind him for the bed frame, using his one good hand to lever himself up. He got as far as squatting when his hand couldn't take any more. He tumbled back onto the floor.

"Here, let me help." said Kah'Li grabbing under his shoulder and helping him up.

With her added strength, Trip managed to get himself up. He was slightly wobbly, but at least he was standing.

He limped over to the door, trying to figure out how to open it. He ran his hand over the area closest to it, trying to find a control panel. No such luck.

"Damn." he muttered, turning to face Kah'Li. "Do you have any idea how Hael opens the door?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "I don't really pay attention to that. I'm usually too busy worrying about what he's going to do to me."

"Yeah. I guess I would to." He turned back to the door, contemplating what he was going to do next...

*Well, whatdya think?*


	13. Escape

Trip looked around the room, trying to find something to pry the door open with.

"Kah'Li?" he called out.

"Yes?"

He pointed over to the bed. "Could you get me one of the bedposts?"

Kah'Li walked over to the bed, and with a grunt, pulled off one of the bedposts. It was a hollow cylinder, about 60 centimetres long.

"How is this going to help?" she asked.

"Just watch." he replied. 

That's exactly what she did. She sat attentively on the bed, watching as her father somehow made a makeshift crowbar out of the bedpost and the items in his medical kit.

"How did you do that?" she asked, clearly astounded.

"A trick of the trade." he replied, grinning at her. "Now get ready, once I get this door open, we're gonna have to get out quickly."

He pried the door open with a grunt, and braced it with his foot. He quickly popped his head into the corridor, looking for any guards. There was no one.

"Come on." he whispered to Kah'Li. She ducked under his arms, then he let go of the door. It swiftly slid shut.

Trip led his daughter through the corridors, avoiding any Cerassians. They had traveled through several when they heard people coming from both directions.

"In here!" Trip whispered, ducking into the nearest room.

It was dark inside, and it was hard for his eyes to adjust. The lights then turned on, and Trip was thankful.

"Thanks Kah'Li." he said to his daughter.

"It wasn't me." she replied, a look of fear coming over her features.

"No, it wasn't." interrupted a voice from deeper in the room. Trip looked over to see a humanoid bathed in shadow at the far corner of the room.

"It was me..." it said, stepping out from the darkness....


	14. Suliban

Trip pushed his daughter behind him as the figure came to light. He gasped when he saw it.

"Suliban.." he growled. 

"Sarquel." said the alien. "And you are Commander Charles Tucker."

"What do you want with me?" Trip said, moving so that the Suliban didn't have a clear shot at Kah'Li.

"What makes you think that I want you?"

Trip looked back at his daughter, then Sarquel. "Ya ain't taking her!"

Sarquel only grinned.

"Run!" Trip yelled to his daughter before Sarquel charged.

Kah'Li stood beside the door, silently watching her father and the Suliban fight, unable to help.

*~*

"T'Pol? Any humans on there?"

"I am getting flucuating readings. One human, very faint. The other one I can not be certain."

Captain Archer turned to Malcolm. "Are we in transporter range?"

Malcolm looked surprised. "Well, yes, but the transporter-"

"I know." said the Captain curtly. "But it's our only chance. Get down to the transporter room, and tell Dr. Phlox to come to."

"Aye sir."

*~*

Sarquel prowled back and forth, like a cat. He was poised to spring at any moment.

"What do you want with my daughter?"

"She has the ability to switch between environments. This would be a very good asset for the Cabal."

At that moment, Trip lunged. Sarquel jumped in the air and held onto the roof. Trip stood up just as Sarquel kicked him the face. Trip fell backwards, as Sarquel grabbed for his neck. Trip grabbed his arm and twisted it backwards. The Suliban's cry of pain echoed in the small chamber.

"You will regret that..." growled Sarquel. He pulled out a phase pistol and aimed it at Trip.

"No!" screamed Kah'Li, as she jumped onto the alien. Sarquel wrestled out of her grasp and grabbed her neck. He pointed the gun at her head.

"Now you must watch you daughter di-"

Sarquel never completed his sentence.

Trip and Kah'Li were illuminated in a glow. //The transporter!// thought Trip, just before the room around him disappeared...


	15. Epilogue

Silent tears ran silver from Trip's eyes. He stood silently at the front of the grave, holding Hoshi's hand. Today was the day he had dreaded for years.  
  
Today was the day he buried his daughter.  
  
They were on a planet of flowers and trees, of valleys and mountains. A truly beautiful place. It was only fitting that his truly beautiful daughter be laid to rest here.  
  
Six years had passed since he had rescued her from the Cerassians. In those six years, he had had many wonderful memories of a life well spent.  
  
His daughter had lived a long, healthy life of 84 Xyrillian years. He had watched as she grew older than him as he barely changed at all. It was depressing, but she had never lost any of her vitality.  
  
She loved to be on solid ground; whenever they landed for shore leave, she would spend all her time in the forests and valleys, searching out flora and fauna.  
  
She also loved children. When his and Hoshi's son had been born, she had played with him for hours on end.  
  
But her health had faltered during the past weeks, and she had finally succumbed. He would truly miss his only daughter, buried here on the ground she loved so much, among the flowers and trees.  
  
Now as he watched them gently shovel dirt onto her final resting place, he thought of the simple inscription on her tombstone.  
  
'My daughter', it read. She had asked for it to be that.  
  
For in the end, that's who she really was.  
  
His daughter, forever loved. 


End file.
